Goals and aspirations !!!

It all strated in my first standard, when the teacher asked each and every student in class "So, what do you want to become when you grow up?", and each one of us had an answer. Guess that was the age when I could not attach any more significance to my answers, but frankly don't remember what I answered. I do remember one of my friends answering, "I want to be a baker, I'll get to eat cakes the whole day", and the whole class laughed.

Year after year, my teachers repeated the same question and each time I gave them a different answer. Then came 10th standard and here I was at the first cross road, deciding between commerce and science stream. All I knew was, papa is an engineer, bhaiyya took up the science stream, then why not me. Commerce was meant for people who were not very good at the science streams, when u can make a 95, go ahead, n dare to take the science stream. No second thoughts I ticked Science. (Little did I realize then that a Chartered Accountants position is one of the most coveted positions and a flair for numbers does go a long way in making a fine CA)!!!!

Then came the next choice - Biology/Comp Sc/Sanskrit, the whole idea of dissection seem(ed)s scary to me !!! My Biology teacher tried here mighty bit to convince me, CBSE introduced an alternative plant dissection option, BUT still I did not budge, I was really scared of "dealing with human lives" and this simply meant- cross out Biology..!!! Next on the list was Comp Sc, C++ is something that you can always learn with time, you don't have to 'risk' your board marks for that, "take up Sanskrit core and learn a language that takes you closer to your roots". I followed the advice. These were the only options available, 'Arts' group was never in the picture and thinking on those lines was illogical, "if you can study well, you should restrict yourself to the science group", and this was an untold rule..!!!

I went ahead with my decision, Engineering was the only option and fortunately for me BITS, Pilani happened. With a dual degree option along with Physics (one decision I don't repent, coz' somehow Physics was my first love), I got one full year to decide my branch of engineering. Computer science scared me off and the next best option was Electrical And Electronics. Moving with the mob I went on with the next decision. Final year, I finally got the time to sit back and think -- "Is this what I wanted in life"..?? Did I always want to be an engineer? Do these circuit and signals and codes and state diagrams 'fascinate' me...?? Guess it was a bit too late to selfintrospect...???

One year hence, I am still not sure what exactly fascinates me!!! But yeah atleast now I do identify as to what does not fascinate me....Probably the first step to learning is realizing once ignorance...And the best reassurance came, when one of my managers asked the new batch of freshers during induction training "How many of you chose engineering as a stream coz' YOU wanted to purse engg"....and the number of people who boldly raised their hands were less than 30%..!!!! Looks like I'm not alone..!!!! :)